The USB host and device are ubiquitous in computing devices including PC, Notebook, Server, Tablet PC, smart TV, media player, gaming machine and peripheral devices. USB3.0 (USB3) interface standard is introduced as the successor to the ever successful USB2.0 (USB2) interface standard. USB3 is aimed to deliver 10 times the performance while maintaining the backward compatibility with USB2. A USB3 device connector traditionally has a total of nine external interface pins, with one row of four and one row of five pins, connecting to a USB3 device through surface mount technology (SMT) or through hole technology. The physical dimension of the USB3 device connector therefore adds length to the size of the USB3 device. If the USB3 device can extend the body of the USB3 device to where the front edge of the USB3 device connector is and achieve the functionality of the USB3 device connector in its main body, it not only eliminates the need for a physical USB3 device connector and saves cost, but also accommodates more real estate or space for the circuitry inside the USB3 device. The challenge lies in how to effectively achieve the functionality of a USB3 device connector in the main body of the USB device.
The USB3 host connector introduces five more pins in addition to the original four pins of USB2 host connector. Most USB3 devices require a USB3 device connector that is soldered to a substrate or a PCB in order to securely mate to the USB3 host connector or the USB2 host connector. The two rows of four pins and five pins in the USB3 device connector are mated to the two rows of four pins and five pins correspondingly, in the USB3 host connector. In the case of the USB2 host connector, only the outer row of 4 pins is used in the USB3 device connection to connect. In the situation where the USB3 flash storage device is pre-fabricated in the molding process, the additional reflow soldering process of the USB3 device connector not only complicates the manufacturing but also introduces a low yield to the flash storage in the pre-fabricated USB device.
It is therefore advantageous to come up with a solderless USB3 connector and apparatus for the USB device to eliminate the soldering reflow, simplify the manufacturing process and to increase the yield of the USB3 device.
The physical difference between USB2 and USB3 host connectors is depicted in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The cross section view of one of the pins 13 of the USB2 host connector 111 is shown in FIG. 1A. The cross section view of one of the pins 103, of the USB3 host connector 113 is shown in FIG. 1B. A USB2 device connector 112 may be plugged into a USB2 host connector 111 or a USB3 host connector 113. Likewise, a USB3 device connector 114 may be plugged into a USB2 host connector 111 or a USB3 host connector 113.
As shown in FIG. 1A, a USB2 host connector 111 has a top casing 10 and a bottom casing 11. It also has a main body 12 that houses the four interface pins (not shown). One of the pins 13 in the USB2 host connector 111 is shown in a cross section view. The pin 13 is retractable and will recede upward into the USB2 host main body 12 when the main body 17 of the USB2 device is plugged in. A USB2 device connector 112 has a top casing 14, a bottom casing 15, a main body 17, an optional stopper 18 and four interface pins (not shown). One of the pins 16 in the USB2 device connector 112 is shown in a cross section view. The pin 16 will not recede when the USB2 device connector 112 is plugged into the USB2 host connector 111. Its counterpart pin 13 in USB2 host connector 111 will recede and connect to pin 16 when the USB2 device connector 112 is fully plugged into the USB2 host connector 111.
As shown in FIG. 1B, a USB3 host connector 113 has a top casing 100 and a bottom casing 101. It also has a main body 102 that houses the four interface pins (not shown) in the inner row and five interface pins (not shown) in the outer row. One of the pins 103 on the inner row is shown in a cross section view. One of the pins 110 on the outer row is also shown in a cross section view. The pin 103 is retractable and will recede upward into the USB3 host main body 102 when the USB3 device connector 114 is fully plugged in.
A USB3 device connector 114 has a top casing 104, a bottom casing 105, a main body 107, an optional stopper 108 and four interface pins (not shown) in the outer row and five interface pins (not shown) in the inner row. One of the pins 106 in the USB3 device connector 114 is shown in a cross section view. The pin 106 will not recede when the USB3 device connector 114 is plugged into the USB3 host connector 113. Its counterpart 103 on USB3 host connector 113 will recede and connect to pin 106 when the USB3 device connector 114 is fully plugged into the USB3 host connector 113. One of the pins 109 in the USB3 device connector 114 is shown in a cross section view. The pin 110 in the USB3 host connector 113 will not recede when the USB3 device connector 114 is plugged into the USB3 host connector 113. Its counterpart pin 109 in the USB3 device connector 114 will recede and connect to pin 110 when the USB3 device connector 114 is fully plugged into the USB3 host connector 113.
When the USB3 device connector 114 is fully plugged into the USB2 host connector 111, the pin 106 of the USB3 device connector 114 is connected to the pin 13 of the USB2 host connector 111. The pin 109 in the USB3 device connector 114 will recede and will not make contact with any other pin in the USB2 host connector 111.
As shown in FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B and FIG. 20, a USB3 host connector 113 has a top casing 100 and a bottom casing 101. It also has a main body 102 that houses the four interface pins (not shown) in the inner row and five interface pins (not shown) in the outer row. One of the pins 103 in the inner row is shown in a cross section view. One of the pins 110 in the outer row is shown in a cross section view. The pin 103 is retractable and will recede upward into the USB3 host main body 102 when the main body 107 of the USB3 device is plugged in.
FIG. 2A is a connection that tries to address the challenge of effectively achieving the functionality of USB device connector in a main body of the USB device. As in FIG. 2A, a USB3 device 220 has a top casing 24, a bottom casing 25, a main body 27, and a surface mountable sub-body 21. The main body 27 and the sub-body 21 are connected through surface mount technology.
The main body 27 houses four interface pins (not shown) in the first row and five interface pins (not shown) in the fourth. Two of the pins 26 (in the first row) and 23 (in the fourth row) on the USB3 device main body 27 are shown in a cross section view.
The surface mountable sub-body 21 houses five interface pins (not shown) in the second row and five interface pins (not shown) in the third row. The second row pins and the third row pins are connected in pairs internally inside the sub-body 21. Two of the pins 20 (in the second row) and 22 (in the third row) in the USB3 sub-body 21 are shown in a cross section view. Pin 20 and pin 22 are connected internally inside USB3 sub-body 21.
The pin 26 will not recede when the USB3 device 220 is plugged into the USB3 host connector 113. Its counterpart 103 in USB3 host connector 113 will recede and connect to pin 26 when the USB3 device 220 is fully plugged into the USB3 host connector 113.
The pin 110 in USB3 host connector 113 will not recede when the USB3 device 220 is plugged into the USB3 host connector 113. Its counterpart pin 20 on USB3 sub-body 21 will also not recede but will also connect to pin 110 when the USB3 device 220 is fully plugged into the USB3 host connector 113. The reason pin 20 will not recede is that the sub-body 21 and the main body 27 are two separate rigid pieces. There is no room for pin 20 to recede when the USB3 device 220 is plugged into the USB3 host connector 113.
This embodiment achieves the benefits of eliminating an external USB3 device connector and accommodates more real estate or space for the circuitry inside the USB3 device. But it still requires soldering of the USB3 device sub-body 21 to the main body 27. And because the pin 20 would not recede after the USB3 device 220 is plugged into the USB3 host connector 113, it sustains stress to the structure of the pin. The impedance of the contact between pin 20 in USB3 device 220 and pin 110 in USB3 host connector starts to change as time progressing. The contact eventually becomes unstable and unreliable.
The embodiment as shown in FIG. 2B, intends to address the same challenge as above. It not only eliminates the need for a physical USB3 device connector and saves cost but also accommodates more real estate or space for the circuitry inside the USB3 device.
As shown in FIG. 2B, a USB3 device 221 has a top casing 204, a bottom casing 205, a main body 207, and a detachable sub-body 201. The main body 207 and the detachable sub-body 201 are connected through forced contact between five pairs of pins. One pin 200 of the pair is from the sub-body while another pin 203 is from the main body. Pin 200 is connected to pin 202 internally inside sub-body 201. No soldering between the two pins, 200 and 203, is required.
The main body 207 houses four interface pins (not shown) in the first row and five interface pins (not shown) in the fourth row. Two of the pins 206 (in the first row) and 203 (in the third row) in the USB3 main body 207 are shown in a cross section view.
The detachable sub-body 201 houses five interface pins (not shown) in the second row and five interface pins (not shown) in the third row. The second row pins and the third row pins are connected in pairs internally inside the sub-body 201. Two of the pins 200 (in the second row) and 202 (in the fourth row) in the USB3 sub-body 201 are shown in a cross section view. Pin 200 and pin 202 are connected internally inside USB3 sub-body 201.
The pin 206 will not recede when the USB3 device 221 is plugged into the USB3 host connector 113. Its counterpart 103 in USB3 host connector 113 will recede and will connect to pin 206 when the USB3 device 221 is fully plugged into the USB3 host connector 113.
The pin 110 in USB3 host connector 113 will not recede when the USB3 device 221 is plugged into the USB3 host connector 113. Its counterpart pin 200 on USB3 sub-body 201 also will not recede but will still connect to pin 110 when the USB3 device 221 is fully plugged into the USB3 host connector 113. The reason pin 200 will not recede is that the sub-body 201 and the main body 207 are two separate rigid pieces. There is no room for pin 200 to recede when the USB3 device 221 is plugged into the USB3 host connector 113.
This prior art achieves the benefits of eliminating an external USB3 device connector and accommodates more real estate or space for the circuitry inside the USB3 device. It also eliminates soldering of the USB3 device sub-body 201 to the main body 207. But because the pin 200 would not recede after the USB3 device 221 is plugged into the USB3 host connector 113, it sustains stress to the structure of the pin. The impedance of the contact between pin 200 in USB3 device 221 and pin 110 in USB3 host connector starts to change as time progresses. The contact eventually becomes unstable and unreliable. The contact between pin 202 in the USB3 sub-body and pin 203 in the USB3 main body would also become unstable and unreliable, due to the constant stress pressing between the pair of pins. The contact may also be weakened by the lever effect asserted by the force pressing against pin 200 when the USB3 device 221 is plugged into the USB3 host connector 113.
Another prior art, as shown in FIG. 2C, is a derivative of the prior art in FIG. 2B. Again it not only eliminates the need for a physical USB3 device connector and saves cost but also accommodates more real estate or space for the circuitry inside the USB3 device. It also has a detachable sub-body 211 that requires no soldering to the main body 217. By eliminating the third row pins in the sub-body 211, it further saves cost compared with that of the prior art in shown in FIG. 2B.
As shown in FIG. 20, a USB3 device 222 has a top casing 214, a bottom casing 215, a main body 217, and a detachable sub-body 211. The main body 217 and the detachable sub-body 211 are connected through forced contact between five pairs of pins. One pin 210 of the pair is from the sub-body 211 while another pin 213 is from the main body 217.
The main body 217 houses four interface pins (not shown) in the first row and five interface pins (not shown) in the fourth row. Two of the pins 216 (in the first row) and 213 (in the third row) on the USB3 main body 217 are shown in a cross section view.
The detachable sub-body 211 houses five interface pins (not shown) in the second row. One of the pins 210 (in the second row) on the USB3 sub-body 211 is shown in a cross section view.
The pin 216 will not recede when the USB3 device 222 is plugged into the USB3 host connector 113. Its counterpart 103 in USB3 host connector 113 will recede and connect to pin 216 when the USB3 device 222 is fully plugged into the USB3 host connector 113.
The pin 110 in USB3 host connector 113 will not recede when the USB3 device 222 is plugged into the USB3 host connector 113. Its counterpart pin 210 on USB3 sub-body 211 also will not recede but will still connect to pin 110 when the USB3 device 222 is fully plugged into the USB3 host connector 113. The reason pin 210 will not recede is that the sub-body 211 and the main body 217 are two separate rigid pieces. There is no room for pin 210 to recede when the USB3 device 222 is plugged into the USB3 host connector 113.
This embodiment achieves the benefits of eliminating an external USB3 device connector and accommodates more real estate or space for the circuitry inside the USB3 device. It also eliminates soldering of the USB3 device sub-body 211 to the main body 217. But because the pin 210 would not recede after the USB3 device 222 is plugged into the USB3 host connector 113, it sustains stress to the structure of the pin. The impedance of the contact between pin 210 in USB3 device 222 and pin 110 in USB3 host connector starts to change as time progresses. The contact eventually becomes unstable and unreliable. The contact between pin 210 in the USB3 sub-body and pin 213 in the USB3 main body would also become unstable and unreliable due to the constant stress pressing between the pair of pins.
Accordingly, what is desired is to provide a system and method that overcomes the above issues. The present invention addresses such a need.